present this county in Parliament. His son Thomas, who inherit ed the estates, sold the manor of Ware to Sir Thomas Byde, se cond son and heir of John Byde, Citizen and Alderman of London. He was knighted in April, 1661, and was returned to Par liament four times as a representative for the Borough of Herts ford; and again in the Convention Parliament, which immediately preceded the Revolution. He died in January, 1704-5: and the manor is now the property of Thomas Hope Byde, Esq. his greatgreat grandson. At a Tournament held at Ware, in the twenty-fifth of Henry the Third, and which appears to have been proclaimed in despite of the King's prohibition, Gilbert le Mareschal, the potent Earl of Pembroke, was killed by falling from his horse, and being afterwards trampled on: Robert de Say, one of his knights, was also slain in the diversion, and several others were wounded. In 1408, the town was greatly damaged by a Flood: its low situation rendering it very liable to this inconvenience, several weirs and sluices have been raised at different times to remedy it. There were anciently two religious establishments in this town: one of them was a PRIORY of Benedictines, subordinate to the Abbey of St. Ebrulph, at Utica, in Normandy, to which Hugh de Grentemaisuil granted the Church of Ware, and two carucates of land in this manor: "Whereupon," says Tanner, "it became a Cell to that Abbey; and, in process of time, was so well endowed, that, upon the seizure of the Alien Priories by Edward the Third, during the wars with France, this was farmed at 2001. per annum. After the suppression of these foreign houses, this was given, in the third of Henry the Fifth, to the monks at Shene. Henry the Sixth, for some time, annexed it to the Abbey of St. Mary, near Leicester; but it was afterwards restored to Shene, and, as parcel of its possessions, granted, by Henry the Eighth, to Trinity College, in Cambridge." Some remains of the Priory buildings are yet standing at a little distance from the Church, near the banks of the river. They chiefly consist of ancient walls, fitted up, Tanner's Notitia. up, and accommodated to the purposes of a modern dwelling: a small, obtusely-pointed arch, within the north-east angle of the building, is supported by corbels, displaying the upper parts of human figures; one of which appears to be clad in mail. Margaret, widow of Sayer, Earl of Winchester, was a great benefactress to this Priory; and also made it her place of residence for a considerable time. The other establishment was for Grey, or Franciscan Friars; but by whom founded is uncertain: it stood in the north part of the town. Ware Church is a spacious edifice, dedicated to St. Mary, and consisting of a nave, chancel, and aisles, with an embattled tower at the west end. The roofs are of timber, and have been ornamented with paintings and inscriptions, of which there are now considerable remains; particularly in the south chancel, or Chapel. Here the roof is divided into squares, in each of which is some figure, or legendary subject: in this Chapel, also, is a single seat for a Chaplain. The Sepulchral memorials are numerous, and among them are various ancient slabs, most of which were pillaged of their Brasses by a knavish Sexton. Among the persons of eminence who have been interred here, are ROGER D'AMORY, Lord of Standon; his Lady, ELIZABETH, daughter of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Glocester, the foundress of Clare Hall, in Cambridge; SIR THOMAS BOUCHIER, son of Henry, first Earl of Essex; SIR RICHARD FANSHAW, Bart.* and SIR THOMAS BYDE, of Ware Park. The Font is ornamented with various sculptures, representing St. George, and other subjects. At the west end of the Church is a handsome gallery, that was built by the Governors of Christ's Hospital, for the use of the school that was formerly established here, for the younger children of that institution, but which has been many years removed to Hertford. Several Alms-houses, for poor widows, &c. are in different parts of the town; and various other benefactions for charitable purposes have been made to this parish; the population of which, as returned under the act of 1800, amounted to 2950: the number of houses to 580. * See some particulars of his life under Ware Park. In |